However, Kurdish resident Shahalo Nanakali told Ynet that life in the Kurdish capitol of Erbil is still continuing as normal. According to Nanakali, the threat from IS while very serious in nature, remains at the border areas of the Kurdish region

where fighters with the Peshmerga are working alongside Iraqi aid and US airstrikes to push the militants back.

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Initial reports from the Associated Press Monday suggested that the US had begun directly arming the Kurdish military forces known as the Peshmerga. The Kurds have repeatedly asked for American weapons, but the US has turned down the group preferring instead to arm the national Iraqi government.

The Islamic State, formerly known as the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq, has made astounding military gains over the last two months, threatening the survival of the Iraqi government and regional ethnic groups of conflicting ideological and religious backgrounds.